S Korea’s YNCC cuts cracker run rate to 70% on mechanical woes

03 February 2012 07:34[Source: ICIS news]

SINGAPORE (ICIS)--South Korea’s Yeochun NCC (YNCC) has reduced the run rates at its 857,000 tonne/year No 1 naphtha cracker at Yeosu to 70% following mechanical issues on Friday morning, said a source close to the company.

The cracker was running at full capacity prior to the mechanical problems, he added.

“There was a problem with the heaters,” one source said.

The plant is expected to run at the lower rate for at least a week, another source said.

Meanwhile, YNCC’s two other Yeosu-based crackers – the 578,000 tonne/year and the 465,000 tonne/year plants – continue to operate at 100%.